Trailer legality ?

Bigjohncat

Well-Known Member
I have been wondering if I were to ridgidly attach a small trailer behind my main trailer whether it would be legal to tow on uk roads ? I know that you can't have it articulated but in effect it would be a double axle unit ?? Any advice welcome.

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Don't do it...they will throw the book at you if pulled by police or dvsa, the days of homemade trailers and lash ups allowed on the roads are long gone, and in most cases I'm in agreement....get a bigger trailer
 
I have seen livestock trailers with a tow ball on the back for hitching up a mobile sheep handling system. Only once seen such a rig being towed on the road though, and that was probably just a short hop between fields.
 
There is plenty of basic information on the Gov.uk. More detailed information is in here. These days you need a trailer that is type approved. Specialist trailers - eg for a boat, whilst the frame will be specially made will use core components- running gear etc from the likes of Indespension.

 
I have been wondering if I were to ridgidly attach a small trailer behind my main trailer whether it would be legal to tow on uk roads ? I know that you can't have it articulated but in effect it would be a double axle unit ?? Any advice welcome.

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Unless you have a Showmans licence then nope, I did it once with Dads petrol fast tow mixer behind his trailer as the extension we were building the electric mixer packed up and we had run out of sand. Got a right bolicking off him then turned into a grin very quickly.
 
I used to tow two 12t silage trailers one behind the other, when we were moving between jobs when i was working for an agricultural contractor years ago. But that was articulated...

Not sure it was entirely legal even then despite being agricultural tractor based legislation...
 
How much length you got from the tow bar to the trailer, might be worth looking at putting a large storage box there but so it doesn’t shorten your turning circle
 
reversing that would be interesting

If it was attached rigidly it might not be too bad to reverse.
Infact ur problem would be getting it to turn with the 2 axles so far apart it would want to stay straight.

If just hitched on would be a nightmare.
Those trailers are bad enough s they are so narrow and short by time u see it in the mirror its already jack knifed.

When i worked out bush on farms in Oz had a trailer with a front dolly on it, i could never get my head round reversing it.
As u reverse normal steer 1st, then oppisate then reverse again.
Just if i got my head round that would get sent on the articucated tractor, u reverse it like a normal trailer but looked funny with the artuculated back end.

The grader driver out bush used to have his grader hitched to vibrating roller, hitched to fuel bowser which towed his pick up and carvan. He just drove between jobs, albeit at about 10mph.
Totally self sufficent.


Welly boot still see tractors dragging 2 silage trailers or a low loader trailer with digger/muck bucket on and dump trailer or muck spreader behind.
No idea the actual legality thou but see it often enough
 
B2E90073-CBBC-4873-8106-33C5CB2E00E4.webpYea, seen people do it with Sankey trailers, they are at least somewhat designed to do it though, having a rear mounted pintle hitch
 
When i worked out bush on farms in Oz had a trailer with a front dolly on it, i could never get my head round reversing it.

Ha. Probably a Baby Quin (Freighter). Still hundreds of them lurking around to catch the unwary.
The grader driver out bush used to have his grader hitched to vibrating roller, hitched to fuel bowser which towed his pick up and carvan. He just drove between jobs, albeit at about 10mph.
Totally self sufficent.

A fabulous sight. Don't see them often anymore, but still the odd one in the more remote locales.
Pinched the photo from the web.

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Aye Miles pretty sinilar to that set up.
Thats brought back some memories

I dunno if he got a wagon to travel longer distances as it only went 10 or 15mph.
But used to shunt berween local sites and just kept moving.

Always amazed an A frame on a pick up is not legal/used more over here fir Ag contractors.
If driving tractor mikes to a job could tow pick up behind and just take pick up home at night.
Even on a farm in Oz ud sometimes tow pick up and leave tractor in the field
 
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